Foreship proposes Project Hygiea to tackle spread of coronavirus

Project Hygiea consists of four steps: interception, prevention, mitigation and evacuation. Implementation of all four will depend on an initial ‘Hazard and Operability’ (HAZOP) analysis, which involves Foreship collaborating with vessels’ stakeholders to identify risk and develop ship-tailored solutions. Once the impact of measures on board and in port are assessed and approved, engineering works, installation, commissioning and verification are granted.

Four stages

Foreship propose a first step aiming to keep coronavirus off ships, with technology installed for testing and measuring body temperature. In the event that a vaccine becomes widely available, passengers will be screened for vaccination before being allowed to board. 

Stages 2 and 3  

Stage 2 covers prevention and isolation involving stringent hygiene measures and space being optimised to limit contact between passengers, with crew undergoing training in sanitation and social distancing protocols. Stage 3 involves isolation of pathogens where quarantining and decontamination procedures are laid out; air treatment systems and medical facilities are provided. 

Evacuation procedures 

In Stage 4 evacuation procedures are put in place on board the ship for speedy extraction in the case of critical incidents; emergency suits, capsules and craft are made available.